Could also be a funding issue. Possible (not making an assertion about this particular case) that a higher ratio of "autistic" students means a bigger share of state allocation of earmarked funds. Just making the point that there could be an incentive to widen the net as to what constitutes autism.

Thats basically what I was getting after.. but it could also be as simple as the school has a great special needs program, or just a teacher or two who have an outstanding reputation in the area.

As far as autism vs another label, there are 14 specific labels that IDEA lists and they should all be funded similarly. The sheer number of children with autism does create a political constituency so it may be easier to get money for that label. I think that some kids who used to be labeled with a behavior disorder are now being more appropriately labeled autistic. Lots of kids have multiple labels and since autism is the hot topic right now, that's where the focus is. I saw kids come into the Unit with milder traits and leave in months without any of the tell-tale behaviors, but they're still labeled and might not "look" autistic. Early intervention is where its at.

I'd also agree with Bullits idea. Parents will move to get their kid in a decent program increasing numbers in particular districts.

What does the 80' have to do with anything? The phasing out of thimerisol didn't begin until 1999 - and thimerisol-containing vaccines were used up, not removed from the shelves.

FWIW this story on the same topic appeared on the BBC website a couple of days ago ...

Oh well then my information was wrong or I read it wrong. Thanks..

I'd like to read more about that. Got a link for me? Yeah, I'm lazy.

Limey, that link says in part; I should think those numbers wouldn't be to far off for the US, but I could be wrong.:confused:

Here. And here. And here. Or just google thimerosal...

Private, Public, and Funding. Each state is completely different. I know California on this very well.

In CA, no additional funds are given to public schools for student accomodation. In fact, the incentive is the opposite: a student can attempt to get an IEP, Individual Education Plan, to address special needs. Once the IEP is accepted, the school is responsible for following the plan, even if it means paying a private school to meet the needs.

Well, the schools set up an elaborate gatekeeping system to agressively avoid IEPs. Basically, the student has to fail out of school before any IEP can be implemented.

We had a solid diagnosis from the Children's Health Council at Stanford University from an inter-displinary team of 4 professionals. It was in the Autism spectrum towards Non-Verbal Learning Disorder. A very smart student getting by with a C average is not good enough for an IEP; he would have to fail out of school to get an IEP.

My wife and I fought with the public schools for an IEP and got nowhere. We had no choice but to send him to a private school with 10 students per class and training in special needs students.

In the SF Bay Area the private schools are much better at handling all kinds of students. Private high schools here are more expensive than Yale and Harvard, but they do the proper job. At $20K a year tuition, rarely is a student a burden.

California public schools rank 49th in the nation just ahead of wealthy Mississippi.

RS, would you venture a guess as to why CA ranks so poorly? Certainly it isn't because the teachers are all dumb. Your remarks hint that the primary motivation to keep the student from physically leaving the public school system but staying on the (financial) books is economic. Would more money for public education make this problem better or worse?

Proposition 13, period. Little money for public schools.

Real Estate taxes pay for public schools. But they are limited to 2% increase per year as long as you own your home Prop 13. I pay $5,000/year and the old geezer across the street pays $400/year. If we do fix the funding problem, a serious transition of attitude must be accomplished.

Now, in the Bay Area, public schools are for the Mexican immigrants. Everyone else has stock option money to buy out of pathetic public schools.

My sister-in-law used to make a living giving reading instruction to kids whose parents successfully sued their district. Cal. schools are completely in violation of the Federal law on this. One big problem, though, is that the Feds never funded their educational mandates at any reasonable level.

Are Cs what he's actually earning, or just awarded to keep a low profile for the school?
He probably lived there before the yuppies drove the real estate prices and taxes through the roof, and might be forced out by a $5k tax bill. Besides, not likely to have any kids in school. ;)

We had a similar situation here until some people living in new houses went to court and the Judge forced the County to reassess every property.

http://www.ewg.org/reports/autism/background.php

Drug companies used thimerosal as a vaccine preservative to allow multiple injections to be shipped and stored in single containers. Thimerosal is 49 percent ethyl mercury, a widely recognized and potent neurotoxin. After more than a decade of nationwide, high childhood exposures, it was removed from childhood vaccinations between 1999 and 2002, at the urging of the Public Health Service and the American Academy of Pediatrics, but is still present in most flu vaccines. California and Iowa have banned mercury-containing thimerosal from all vaccinations, and Missouri and Nebraska have legislation in progress.

Autism treatment progress
 

Do some research on Asberger Syndrome.

The nitty gritty is that autism is far better understood now, and the articles will open your eyes. If your child is very little, there is a lot of hope for improvement.

Autism is now considered an extreme in the asberger curve of behaviors. Language problems, or lack of use, and social problems are part of the characteristics. They can follow the person into adulthood. I think 3 of my 4 siblings, if not all 5 of us, suffer from it in varying degrees.

Let me know if you have trouble finding information.

I've seen some articles that say it is not curable, but I have also seen ones that say classic autism is avoidable with very early intervention in many children.